ICELAND MOSS (CEBTRARIA ISLAND/CA)

This is small branched lichen found wild in cool, damp places in the northern hemisphere. Iceland moss tea is used for bronchitis and coughs, for strengthening digestion and relieving digestive disorders. It can also help to stimulate milk flow in nursing mothers. The plant itself is nourishing and can be eaten as a vegetable after being boiled for a while to make it palatable. Available from health food stores and herbalists.
Caution: Prolonged use can cause liver or intestinal problems.

INOSITOL Top

Inositol is a lipotropic B vitamin, thus helping to metabolize fats and cholesterol. It combines with phosphorus, fatty acids and nitrogen to form phospholipids, which carry fat and form cell membranes. With choline, it forms lecithin. Inositol is concentrated in the brain, and supplements produce a calming effect. In cereals, seeds and legumes, inositol occurs as phytic acid, which binds with calcium, iron, zinc and other minerals, inhibiting their absorption. To prevent this, cereals and legumes that contain phytic acid must be cooked, leavened or sprouted. Inositol can help to lower cholesterol levels, maintain a healthy skin and lower high oestrogen levels that can lead tobreast lumps. Inositol, which is best taken at bedtime, can, in daily doses of 2,000 mg ,lower high blood pressure and induce sleep. It also has an anti-anxiety effect. The best natural sources of inositol are organ meats, brewer's yeast, wheat germ, cantaloupe, molasses and peanut butter. A Recommended Daily Allowance has not yet been established, but a daily consumption of 1,000 mg is advised by many nutritionists. Available at health food stores

INVERT SUGARTop

Invert sugar is obtained by breaking down sucrose into its components, glucose and fructose. This is done chemically and enzymatically. Invert sugar is a liquid sweetener, sweeter than white sugar and is sometimes used as a processed food ingredient. It is naturally contained in honey and fruits and it is less taxing on the digestive system than normal sugar (sucrose).

IODINE Top

An essential trace element, iodine is a constituent of the hormone thyroxine, concentrated in the thyroid gland. As with all trace elements, a tiny amount has an enormous effect on our health. An average human body contains 25 mg iodine. The influence of iodine, through thyroxine, is felt every­where in the body. It raises the metabolic rate, helping the body to bum excess fat, preventing the accumulation of cholesterol and helping to stabilize body weight. Iodine calms nerves and improves the quality of hair, skin, nails, and teeth.It also regulates the rate, at which cells use oxygen, and in this way promotes energy production and improves mental function. It accomplishes all this by stimulating the thyroid gland to produce thyroxin. A properly functioning thyroid is of extreme importance. An under active thyroid, resulting from iodine deficiency, can cause symptoms such as obesity, rapid pulse, goitre, a cold body, constipation, general weakness, excessive menstruation, low resistance to colds and infec­tions, nervousness and irritability. Iodine deficiency can also increase the risk of breast and uterine cancer. A study of Japanese women, who normally eat plenty of iodine-rich seafood, has shown that this diet contributed to their lower-than-average incidence of breast cancer In cases of under active thyroid, or when taking iodine supplements, raw vegetables of the Brassica family (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and turnip) should not be eaten. They contain a factor that inhibits the absorption of iodine. People living in areas where the soil has a low iodine content, such as the American Midwest, are prone to iodine deficiency and should take iodine supplements or eat an iodine-rich diet. Some of the best natural sources of iodine are kelp, sea­weeds, shellfish and onions. Available supplements include iodized salt, kelp tablets, dried seaweeds and desiccated bovine thyroid tablets or capsules. The normal daily require­ment is 150 mcg for adults and 120 mcg for children.

IPRIFLAVONETop

Ipriflavone is a derivative of isoflavones from which it is synthesized. It hardly occurs in nature and was found in trace amounts only in bee propolis. Discovered in the late19605 in Hungary, ipriflavone was initially used as an additive in the feed of laboratory animals. Later human studies however, showed that ipriflavone is plant oetsrogen that can mimic the beneficial effects of oestrogen and HRT without their potential risks. Various studies confirmed that ipriflavone can improve calcium retention, enhance bone formation, promote the repair of long bone fractures and prevent osteoporosis in a safe way. Ipriflavone was also found to increase the secretion of calcitonin, the primary bone building hormone. While high doses of oestrogen or HRT are known to prevent osteoporosis, they are also known to increase the risk of cancer. In this sense, ipriflavone can provide a safer complementary treatment. In a study published in Osteoporosis International Journal, ipriflavone given with very low doses of oestrogen increased bone density without the side effects associated with HRT. In combination with calcium and vitamin D, ipriflavone was shown to reduce postmenopausal bone loss better than these nutrients on their own. Ipriflavone is presently marketed under the trademark OstivoneTM

IRON Top

Iron is the most abundant trace element in the body. The average adult body contains about 5g, bound with protein. Iron is indispensable for the production of haemoglobin, the red pigment in red blood cells, that transports oxygen to every cell. Without iron, the body cells would 'suffocate' and die. It promotes energy, relieves fatigue, prevents anaemia and increases resistance to disease. However, iron absorption can be problematic. Only about 8 per cent of ingested iron is actually absorbed and Assimilated; for proper absorption, iron needs adequate stomach acid, a deficiency of which is common in the Elderly, while protein, copper, calcium and vitamins C, B6, B12 and E are also needed for optimal iron absorption. The most easily assimilated forms of iron are the organic ones such as ferrous succinct or gluconate. Inorganic iron, such as ferrous sulphate, actually destroys vitamin E. Natural iron syrups and iron-fed brewer's yeast, which are widely available in health food stores, are also well absorbed. Small losses of iron are normal: men lose about 1 mg a day and women lose much more, due to menstruation and pregnancy. Women, children and the elderly are more vulnerable to iron deficiency: studies have found that about a quarter of British children under five are seriously deficient in iron. Among the best natural sources of iron are liver, raw clams and oysters, oatmeal, prunes, egg yolks, brewer's yeast and leafy green vegetables.
Recommended Daily Allowance for iron are estimated at 10 mg for men and 18 mg for women, but requirements increase during pregnancy, lactation, and in any bleeding conditions such as excessive menstruation, ulcers or intestinal bleeding. Excess consumption of coffee and tea can cause a depletion of iron.

ISOFLAVONESTop

These are 'a class of plant flavonoids found mainly in soy­beans, but also in other plants such as alfalfa and clover. They include genistein and daidzein, their sugar-containing molecules genistein and deriding and related compounds such as ipriflavone, Buchanan A, formononetin and ononin. Most of the isoflavones occur in the plants as glycosides (sugars), but the intestinal bacteria separates the sugar­ containing part of the molecule, yielding the more potent antioxidant isoflavones genistein and daidzein. Various studies showed that the isoflavones, particularly genistein and to a somewhat lesser degree daidzein, are powerful antioxidants and have significant cancer-preventing effects. All the other isoflavones were found to have a much lesser antioxidant activity and ononin had virtually no antioxidant effect. Isoflavones are also plant oestrogens. Their molecular structure is similar to that of oestrogen and can substitute oestrogen in the cells' oestrogen receptors. But while oestrogen and HRT have been associated with increased risk of cancer in postmenopausal women, isoflavones help reduce the risk of cancer. In the body, isoflavones are converted into weak oestrogens, about one-thousandth as potent as the body's oestrogen, but neverthelss potent enough to exert beneficial effects such as promoting bone building and helping to prevent osteoporosis.

ISOLEUCINETop

Isoleucine is one of the essential amino acids. It also one of the three branched chain amino acids, and as such is used by the muscles. Together with leucine and valine, isoleucine builds up muscle, helps to repair muscle injuries and combats stress. Isoleucine is needed for haemoglobin. (blood) formation and for the regulation of blood sugar levels. Natural sources of isoleucine include legumes such as soybeans. As a supplement, isoleucine is sold as a tree amino acid, but it is normally combined in a formula with leucine and valine, the other two branched chain amino acids.